Cyndi's Story
Cyndi Wiese and her family had planned to do medical missions work someday, "but that was always down the road," she said of potential trips. When faced with terminal cancer, Cyndi shared with her friend, Albert Lea, MN physician
and Shaktishifa, India Clinic Founder, Dr. Nasreen Hussain, that her someday
needed to be today.
"Cyndi Wiese's life, her last months and days, inspired the human spirit and ignited in her the will
to: live, work, and share with others. She embraced people of the world with a joy and quiet triumph
celebrating the human spirit and her faith in God", read the India Health Foundation Tribute on her
passing away on February 9, 2005.
Cyndi died of ovarian cancer after a long physical and emotional struggle. She was confident of her family's well-being but shared with her friend and colleague Dr. Nasreen Hussain (Nas) her disappointment in not realizing her professional dream in its entirety. There was so much more she had wanted to do someday; teach, empower women, travel to other parts of the world to do medical missions work. There was a look of sadness in Cyndi's eyes as she and Nas talked just two months before she died. Cyndi and Steve had wanted to visit the charitable primary care clinic that Nas had founded in her home town of Hyderabad, India, towards which they had made a handsome contribution. Nas asked Cyndi to think how she would like this donation to be used so the ripples of her dream could continue to touch people's lives. Nas recalls the sudden spark in Cyndi's eyes as her face lit up with a smile. Her professional mission was now in high gear!
In the weeks that ensued, Cyndi decided to focus on
women's health and empowerment. She gathered
a team of friends, colleagues and family who
worked together at a furious pace, frequently meeting with board members of the India Health
Foundation in her home. The program developed as “Hands, Heart & Hope". The cornerstone of this
ambitious legacy is to offer routine health maintenance, preventative care and health education for
women and their children through the use of CWWHI resources and community outreach. The result
of Cyndi's effort was astounding. In the last six weeks of her life Cyndi raised $27,000 for her cause!
The celebration of Cyndi's life, profound faith and professional mission was born as the Cyndi Wiese
Womens Health Initiative (CWWHI). and is guided Under the stewardship of Dr. Sundari Krishna, a
renowned Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
It is evident by her life-long pursuit of higher learning that Cyndi had a strong desire to care for the needs of others with the utmost skill and professionalism. Her list of educational pursuits is quite impressive: B.A. Biology and Psychology (Luther College, Decorah, IA), B.S. Nursing (Creighton University, Omaha NE), M.A. Nursing, Certified Nurse Practitioner (College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN). At the time of her diagnosis, Cyndi was an Instructor of Nursing at Riverland Community College in Alber Lea, MN sharing her knowledge and passion for caring with the next generation of professional nurses. But along with her degrees and credentials, it was Cyndi's deep faith in God, loving devotion to her family, and intense desire to contribute to her profession that set Cyndi apart as an exceptional woman.